1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of brush guards in general, and in particular to a spring loaded brush guard that is actuated by impact with the body of an animal.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,293,224; 4,213,645; 4,469,360; 4,570,367; 6,682,111 and 6,676,180, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse brush guards, cow catchers, and other arrangements designed to protect the front of a moving vehicle.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical device that employs stored energy to propel an animal away from the path of a moving vehicle to minimize potential damage to the vehicle proper and/or its occupants.
Recently, many suburban areas have been experiencing a rash of deer/vehicle collisions involving both extensive damage to the vehicle bodies as well as injuries that are sometimes fatal to the occupants of the vehicle.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among motorists for a new and improved type of brush guard that is capable of propelling a deer or other large animal out of the path of a moving vehicle using stored energy, and the provision of such an arrangement is a stated objective of the present invention.